Week 3 (Higuera, Mara)

La Virgen De Guadalupe has been a big part of my childhood and now as an adult. With La Rosa De Guadalupe being an everyday staple after school from elementary and even up to high school, she has always been a part of my life. Although my parents are not Catholics who attend church every Sunday, they do believe in saints and have a direct relationship with La Virgen. I always had a specific ideal of what La Virgen should look and act like until High School. My relationship with the Virgen I would say was intensified throughout my life because all my friends and family have connection with la Virgen of Guadalupe. In High school I was exposed to the different forms of Virgen until high school when I took my first Chicano Studies class at East Los Angeles college with Professor Montezuma. In Montezuma's class I was exposed to both Yolanda and Alma's interpretation of La Virgen. Even up to date, my parents have a small altar of la Virgen where I put candles to her. I expect to continue to have a relationship with la Virgen and pass my ideals down to younger generations. In fact, I have already seen myself passing on these ideals, early this year I became a godmother to one of my nieces, I gifted her a necklace with a pendant of La Virgen to offer protection and guidance as she grows old. I have also grown to be selection on what aspects of Virgen Mary I would like to pass down to younger generations. Although I do respect the tale of the Virgen Mary, I do believe that with the differences in what the norm is in society, one should be open to the differences peoples beliefs.  

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